Rain will fall all across China for the next three days, relieving the south from prolonged sweltering heat, the Central Meteorological Station forecast Wednesday.

Thanks to an encounter between a mild cold front and a warm front, the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, where unusual heat has lingered for the past month, will have showers and thundershowers in the next three days.

It will also rain in northern and northwestern China and especially in the eastern part of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the station source said.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall will pelt south China, the western part of central China's Hubei Province, southwestern Chongqing Municipality and the middle reaches of the Yellow and Huaihe rivers, among which some areas will experience downpours, strong winds and hailstones.

(Xinhua News Agency August 13, 2003)